Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Yes, "which help towards their heating, light and cooking costs" and the electricity or the gas allowances. In fact, the amendment is correct.

Included in those numbers would be approximately 100,000 pensioners, 43,000 widows, 55,000 one-parent families, 40,000 persons with disabilities and 31,000 long-term unemployed. The total cost is approximately €340 million a year. That is an additional cost, over and above the primary payments. Quite a number of people are benefiting from it. Some of them are getting the fuel allowance directly and others, those over 70, are getting it through the household packages. Some €340 million is a very significant amount. However, I accept that this is a particular pressure on people, particularly given the prices this year.

We have also responded to the prices in the improvements that have been made. The value of the fuel allowance has been doubled since 2005 to €18 per week or €21.90 for recipients living in designated smokeless areas.

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